The journey to Saltpath – a business that nurtures the body as well as the mind

Meet the founders and creators of Saltpath Coaching Clinic, a wellness and mental health business like no other.

Saltpath was created by Phil and Vicki Gilbert out of a ‘necessity for a better way of being’.

Can you give us a little background into why you  created Saltpath?

“For 20 years prior to Saltpath, we owned and ran a successful flooring company in Brighton but the more that grew, the more successful it became on paper and the better it looked on the outside, the more I began to struggle on the inside until, finally, it took its toll in 2017,” said Phil.

“Back in 2016, we gave a business consultant £15,000 to get us organised. In 2017 I had a nervous breakdown from stress, then in 2018 a psychologist asked me one simple question which changed my entire life. The power of the question kick started a long journey back to self; along the way I realised I’d been unconsciously driving a business for the sole purpose of making money and becoming the someone that teachers had told me I’d never be. At no point did it occur to me to pause and check if I was actually OK. It was adrenaline fuelled madness and, by 2022 (after a lot of inner work), I decided my time would be better spent closing the company and helping others to stay in touch with their authentic self. We now run a business from the heart for the heart – with a mission to create spaces for others to pause and find the balance needed in an ever-stressful world.”

How did you go about building Saltpath and how is it different this time around?

Phil explains: “We knew we wanted to help people both physically and mentally, and we knew the importance of remaining connected to self so it had to start with the Wim Hof Method. I’d known about Wim from the surfing community, but I hadn’t paid much attention until I saw him on a chat show in 2017. He showed the audience a simple breathwork technique which I tried, and it blew my mind, not only how easy it was but also how powerful it was and how much it calmed my jittery nervous system. I was hooked and qualified as an instructor in October 2023 and have been delivering workshops ever since.

“Whilst studying and training with the WHM academy, I was also training to become a Level 2 Transformative Life Coach which I absolutely love and is at the heart of all our workshops, retreats and events as well as being a stand-alone service that we offer.

“Vicki is the alchemist in all this, she’s the one that turns my crazy ideas into reality. She’s the one that built the website, created the brand, manages the socials and does all the hard work behind the scenes as well as running our sauna experiences.

“How’s it different this time around? Simple – it’s led by the heart and not the head. Now that we understand ourselves better it’s become about what we can give, not what we can take and is organised around our family life and how we want to spend our time.”

What can we expect on a Saltpath retreat?

“Good vibes, bare feet and a reconnection to the parts of yourself you’d forgotten along the way,” Phil explains.

“We work with the four elements of Sauna, Breathwork, Cold, and Mind designing bespoke escape days for groups as well as our signature seasonal offerings. All our offerings are educational as well as immersive and fun.”

Seasonal offerings include

Wim Hof Fundamentals Workshops for those that would like to learn about the 3 pillars of Breathwork, Mindset and Cold-Water Immersion sprinkled with science, history and health benefits of this amazing method.

Contrast Therapy Retreats which include Breathwork, Sauna and Cold-water Immersion and how to practice these safely.

Vic’s Full Moon Sauna Rituals using scent and sound to take you on a sauna journey like no other.

Men’s Fire and Ice Retreats using Phils years of experience as a men’s circle facilitator these events include breathwork, active listening, body movement, grounding, sauna and an ice bath challenge (of course).

And soon to be launched ‘The Mindful Tradesman’ escape days designed specifically to address the pressures of the building and construction industry.

How do I book on?

To book a seasonal retreat or workshop you can go directly to the workshops page on Saltpathcoachingclinic.com or to enquire about organising a bespoke retreat or escape day simply email us at Hello@saltpathcoaching.com and we’d be happy to work with you to create some truly impactful.